BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Emory & Henry College Men's Soccer junior Jordan Couch has been named to the VaSID All-State College Division First Team, VaSID officials announced Thursday. The Abingdon, Virginia native adds all-state honors to his back-to-back All-ODAC Second Team picks.
Couch makes it back-to-back All-Virginia honors as he was selected to the All-State Second Team a year ago. Elliott Anderson was a two-time All-State pick and was named to the first team as a senior in 2006 after earning second-team accolades in 2005.
Couch led the team and the ODAC in several offensive categories including goals (21), points (47), shots (89) and shots on goal (53). The junior also tallied five assists and three match-winners on the season. Named the ODAC Men's Soccer Player of the Week on September 6, Couch had a trio of multi-goal games this year including a pair of four-goal performances at the University of Valley Forge (Sept. 3) and at Hiwassee College (Sept. 26). He added a hat trick against Johnson University at home on September 28.
Couch now holds or is tied for Emory & Henry records for goals in a season (21), goals in a career (27), goals in a match (four) and points in a season (47). He is second in the record books for points in a match (10) and career points (63). At the ODAC level, Couch's 47 points in a season tie him for sixth all-time alongside former E&H standout Danny Almond, while his 21 goals are tied for third all-time in the league.
Jimmy Grace of Christopher Newport University was named the VaSID State Player of the Year while CNU's Steve Shaw was tabbed as State Coach of the Year. Shamarr Perry from Ferrum College earned State Rookie of the Year honors.
The VaSID All-State teams are selected by sports information directors of member institutions of the Virginia Sports Information Directors across the Commonwealth of Virginia. VaSID, founded in 1983, selects teams in two divisions (University and College) for 12 sports and three single-division teams in addition to Academic All-State teams across all sports.
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-photo courtesy of Kymn Hamley